


Doubt

by Strawberrywaltz



Series: Doubt [1]
Category: Power Rangers, Power Rangers Dino Charge
Genre: Alternative Way Chase Met Heckyl, Angst, Canon-Typical Violence, Chase being Chase, Chase is a Good Bro, Drama, Episode Tag, F/M, Heckyl being Heckyl, Koda is a good friend, M/M, prison buddies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-23
Updated: 2019-06-08
Packaged: 2020-01-24 16:11:38
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,097
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18574981
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Strawberrywaltz/pseuds/Strawberrywaltz
Summary: “What are you in here for?” Chase asked curiously, finally spotting the shadowy figure of his new roommate.“This and that.” The man said easily as he walked closer, into a bit more light. Chase’s eyes had adjusted enough to the dark to see that the man was thin with blue hair and blue eyes. He also looked like he belonged at a Steam Punk convention. “And you?”“Wrong place, wrong time.” Chase sighed. “The tragic story of my life.”“That we have in common.” Heckyl hummed lightly as he moved to sit next to Chase against the wall. “They don’t usually put other prisoners in here with me. Something about safety. Their safety. I suppose you must have done something rather spectacular to piss Sledge off.”“You could say that.”





	1. Only time will tell

**Author's Note:**

> Back at it again with another Chase/Heckyl story. I had been thinking about this story for a while before I started it. The first part of the story is done, but I'm not sure how I want to post things because technically it has several parts...and I'm not sure if I want to post all of them or just this first part. 
> 
> We'll see how it goes, lol. 
> 
> Enjoy!

Koda was free, the kid was hurt, Chase knew there wasn’t much of a question of what they had to do. It was as clear as a moonlit night. 

“Good luck.” Chase told his friend as he grasped the bars that kept him trapped. He could tell that Koda wasn’t thrilled with the idea of leaving him behind, but Chase also trusted his friend to get the kid somewhere safe, and, if possible, come back and save his sorry ass. 

“I get Peter out, then I come back.” Koda promised in broken English. The caveman shifted the boy gently in his arms and started to retreat into the darkness of the cave when Chase realized something. 

“Wait!” Chase called out. “Here, take this with you.” He said and pulled his energem out from under his shirt and slipped it off, handing it to his friend through the bars that separated him from freedom. 

“No. It yours.” Koda said with a frown of confusion. 

“If they take me to Sledge, it could be really bad. We can’t let him get his meaty claws on it.” Chase explained and took a deep breath in an effort to remain strong. “It’s safer with you than me. At least right now.” Chase smiled a quick, reassuring smile as his friend timidly took the energem. “I’ll get it back from you later.” Chase added with an over-confident wink. 

“Better.” Koda said with an appraising look before he slowly turned away and vanished into the shadows with the kid. 

Chase watched his friend leave and did his best to shove down the growing panic. It was weird being separated from his energem. Colder. He could call after Koda, but he wouldn’t. He had to be strong. 

Once Koda got the kid somewhere safe he’d call the others and they’d rescue Chase. Everything would work out, Chase just needed to stay calm and be patient. 

__

“You look positively edible.” A deep voice spoke from the shadows. Chase jumped back and accidently rammed his spine into the unforgiving bars of his cage. The monster that had captured him appeared without warning. One minute it had been silent and then cage-face appeared. It bared its teeth and sniffed the air hungrily. “Smell tasty as well.” 

“I’d be really tough to chew, though.” Chase said lightly, trying to reign in his speeding heart. “Not much meat on my bones, and all that.”

“Where is the other one?” The monster shrieked when he realized that Koda wasn’t where he was supposed to be. “A jailbreak? On my watch?” 

The fear in Chase’s heart flipped like a switch from self-preservation to terrified that Koda and Peter were in danger. 

“Maybe you missed him?” Chase said conversationally. The monster let out a roar and started to go after Koda and the kid. Chase’s heart leaped up again. “Wait!” 

The monster stopped and sent Chase a glare that was a promise of pain. 

“If you leave and I’ll escape just like he did.” Chase said put on his best cocky smile. “Sledge is going to be pissed when he learns that you had two of us and came back empty handed.” 

Part of Chase’s plan was banking on the monster not realizing that the bike had left an opening for Koda and the kid to slip through. The other hope was distracting the monster long enough for Koda to get out of the cave and somewhere safe – preferably back to the museum to get the other power rangers. 

“If you could escape you would have left by now.” The monster hissed. 

“Or,” Chase said with a savage smile. “Maybe I just wanted to see your stupid face before Sledge blasted it into oblivion.” 

“Master Sledge will eat you for breakfast!” The monster roared, the strength of the sound wave sent Chase crashing back into the metal bars again. That was going to leave a nice bruise. Wincing Chase opened his mouth with the intention of continuing his ‘distract the monster’ plan when suddenly his world went dark. 

__

There was something dripping on metal. 

Pit. Plat. Splat. 

Ping. 

The sounds split their way into the most sensitive places in Chase’s mind. Pain. Ugh. 

“It’s waking up.” Someone said. 

Rude. 

“Ugh.” Chase groaned as he was forced upward, strong arms gripped his, keeping him upright on his knees as he forced his eyes open. 

The metallic face of Sledge filled his field of vision. Too close. Chase’s eyes widened and he tried to pull back, but was unable to move due to the bruising grip of Sledge’s minions. He remained on his knees being held up by two monsters. 

“Not so tough now, are you, ranger?” Sledge asked with a low chuckle as he slowly pulled back, giving Chase some breathing room. “You did well, Slammer.” 

“Thank you, Master.” 

Chase was too dizzy to attempt to look over his shoulder and locate the monster, Slammer, who was standing somewhere behind him. Somehow Chase doubted that Slammer had mentioned that he had lost one of two power rangers. 

It really didn’t matter. In fact, it was probably a good thing that Sledge was in a good mood. Chase was currently very expendable and any anger, well, Chase was a perfect target. 

“Now,” Sledge’s low voice drew Chase’s attention back to his current problem. “I shall have my prize.” He continued as he grabbed the front of Chase’s shirt and tore it open, exposing Chase’s naked chest and revealing the lack of an energem. 

Chase looked down at the torn remains of his favorite black shirt and muttered unhappily to himself. 

With a blood-curdling roar Chase was released by his ‘handlers’ and hit the ground palms first. He only just managed to stop his nose from slamming into the unforgiving ground. 

“Where is your energem?” Sledge screamed as he grabbed Chase by the throat and hoisted him up into the air. 

“W-hat, is it g-one?” Chase managed to bark out broken words as he grabbed ahold of Sledges armored hand in an attempt to pry the alien’s grip apart enough to allow him to breathe. The action was unsuccessful, but at least Chase was doing something proactive. 

With a frustrated grunt Sledge flung Chase across the room and into a cluttered wall. He fell. 

“Search him!” Sledge shouted and Vivix appeared, swarming Chase and pulling off his clothes. His shirt was in ruins, but he managed to bat the creatures’ hands away to save his pants from receiving the same treatment. 

“Hey, hands off the merchandise!” Chase yelped as his hands were grabbed and pulled upwards to stop him from hindering the search any longer. After a very invasive pat-down the Vivix looked back at Sledge in defeat. 

They were vaporized a moment later. “Useless idiots!” Sledge shouted and stalked towards Chase who backed himself up against the wall. “I should destroy you once and for all. One less worthless power ranger to deal with.” 

Chase swallowed. He hoped that Koda didn’t end up feeling too badly about all of this. It wasn’t the caveman’s fault. If Chase had been more aware of his surroundings then none of this would have happened. Or, well, maybe it wouldn’t have happened the same way. At least this way Koda was free and Peter was going to be okay. Chase could die with that thought. 

Preparing himself, Chase looked up at Sledge with narrowed eyes. 

“Master,” Fury’s voice cut through the room just as Sledge leveled his gun to Chase’s face. “Perhaps there is still a use for him.” 

Chase shivered as he and Sledge looked at the furry monster. Both wanted to hear what the big cat had to say, but for two very different reasons. 

“Do enlighten me.” Sledge said, not removing his gun from Chase’s face. 

“Maybe we can use the power ranger’s greatest weakness against them. Compassion. Friendship. They are plagued with such pathetic emotions. Use him against them and we might be able to do just about anything.”

“They’ll never turn over their energems to you.” Chase said without thinking of the consequences. His life wasn’t worth the total destruction of the universe. He couldn’t sit around and be used against his friends. Not if he could stop it. “They’d let me die before that. I’m annoying, they’ll probably be happy – “ Chase’s words trailed off as Sledge lowered his weapon. Even with the emotionless metal mask Chase knew what the gesture meant. 

Sledge had already made up his mind. 

“Put him in the cell with the other troublesome one.” Sledge ordered and waved a hand in dismissal. 

“Other one…” Chase echoed as he was hauled roughly to his feet and unceremoniously dragged away. Something hard smashed into the back of his head and Chase lost a bit of time. His body was thrown at some point and Chase heard the sound of metal scraping against metal. A door closing, maybe. A cell door, probably. From one cage to another, Chase figured and rolled onto his side, his hands snaking up to grip the back of his throbbing head. 

“Aren’t you a sorry sight.” A stranger’s voice called with a lithe of curiosity. 

Chase’s eyelids cracked open but his vision was greeted only by swirls of foggy darkness. With a groan he let his body go limp and let go of consciousness.


	2. This Can't Be Explained

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Big thanks to all who commented and gave kudos! You guys rock!

Wakefulness came back slowly. Like drift wood in waves, slowly drifting back and forth until it made its way to shore. 

“You look a little better.” That voice spoke again as Chase’s eyes fluttered open. He was on his back, his head resting on something soft. Not a pillow. Not a person. It was some sort of folded up material. 

“You can wrap yourself in that.” The voice offered as Chase lifted his hands and let his fingers explore the fabric. It appeared to be a blanket – well, mostly a blanket. The cloth was thin and kind of felt like it had been chewed on by something small and furry. “It might fend off the chill if you are as cold as you appear.” The voice continued. 

“Who are you?” Chase slurred as he slowly, gingerly sat upright and searched the dimly lit cell for the owner of the voice. 

“Heckyl.” The voice replied. “And you?” 

“Chase.” The human answered and managed to locate the nearest wall before finding his cellmate. He scooted over to the smooth metal surface and leaned against it, grateful for the support. “What are you in here for?” Chase asked curiously, finally spotting the shadowy figure of his new roommate. 

“This and that.” The man said easily as he walked closer, into a bit more light. There was a faint sound of metal clinking against metal as the man moved. Chains, Chase realized with a wince. Heckyl had been restrained. 

Chase’s eyes had adjusted enough to the dark to see that the man was thin with blue hair and blue eyes. He also looked like he belonged at a Steam Punk convention. “And you?” Heckyl asked with mild amusement echoed in his words. 

“Wrong place, wrong time.” Chase sighed. “The tragic story of my life.” 

“That we have in common.” Heckyl hummed lightly as he moved to sit next to Chase against the wall. “They don’t usually put other prisoners in here with me. Something about safety. Their safety. I suppose you must have done something rather spectacular to piss Sledge off.” 

“You could say that.” Chase agreed, but frowned at the stranger’s words. “You don’t look all that terrifying. I mean, it’s kind of dark in here and all, but you look normal enough. Want to clue me in on the danger?” 

Heckyl shifted and chuckled darkly. “You really don’t know, do you?” 

“Nope.” Chase agreed with a lopsided smile. “I suppose you don’t have to tell me. I’ll find out what the big deal is eventually. Do you eat souls? Drink blood? Torture people for kicks? No, don’t tell me. I like a good surprise.” 

A laugh filled the small cell. “I like you, you make me smile.” 

“So you aren’t going to torture me? Or drink my blood? Space vampires – Riley is going to laugh his ass off if he ever finds out about how I died.” 

“I’m not going to do anything to you.” Heckyl answered after a few minutes of silence ticked by. “I can’t promise my other half will be as kind.” 

“Um.” Chase frowned at the stranger again. Pale skin – really pale, the guy needed to get some good old vitamin D. 

“Perhaps Sledge will call for you before he decides to take over.” Heckyl shrugged. “Either why, I doubt you’ll be here long.” 

Chase nodded, but wasn’t really sure what he was agreeing too. Death or returning to his friends – neither option seemed real. 

“Well, as long as I get to make you smile.” Chase said after an uneasy stretch of silence. “I mean, it’s the least I can do – help a lonely guy out.” 

“Oh,” Heckyl chuckled darkly. “I’m never alone.” He said cryptically. 

“Okay.” Chase wasn’t sure how to respond to that. “Okay.” He repeated and stood. “There’s two of us, or, uh, maybe three.” Chase really didn’t know if Heckyl was just mentally unwell, had an imaginary friend or had a ‘Hulk’ situation happening. “Let’s put all that brainpower to good use.” 

“You aren’t seriously thinking about trying to escape?” Heckyl asked. “We’re not down on your planet. We’re in space. Unless you know how to program and pilot one of the escape pods you aren’t going to do anything but insure your death and my pain.” 

“Space?” Chase repeated, eyes wide in surprise. “Oh, crap.” With that reality the determination of escaping deflated. “Okay, but there has to be some way back to Earth.” 

“You are an optimist, aren’t you?” Heckyl asked. Even in the dark Chase could see him smiling lightly. As if he was amused by the thought of thinking sunny side up. 

“I’ve been called worse.” Chase said with a little laugh as he searched the walls. He located the door and found it was the only source of light in the room. The metal bars were no more than a small barred hole. The opening was too small to stick his arm through and too awkward of a height to see anything useful. 

“Before you ‘escape’ why don’t you tell me more about the ‘wrong place’ that brought you here?” Heckyl offered after another stretch of silence. 

“I – uh,” Chase looked back at Heckyl and narrowed his eyes. “How do I know you can be trusted?” 

“How do I know I can trust you?” Heckyl pointed out. 

“True.” Chase nodded. Nothing he could say would really be of any use to Sledge, anyway. “I, um, am bonded with an energem, not sure if you know what those are. Sledge sent one of his minions after the energems and I was stupid enough to get caught. My friend escaped and took my energem with him. I wanted it to be safe and figured at least he was free.” 

“Your friend abandoned you?” Heckyl said, the amusement gone from his voice. He sounded oddly vacant.

“No.” Chase shook his head and tried to feel for something useful in the cell. Something he could use to open the door. “There was a kid who was hurt. I told him to go. Well, I didn’t verbally tell him to leave, but we both knew it was the only option. We couldn’t morph for some reason and it would have been worse if both of us were taken. The kid needed help, a doctor.” 

“You thought your friend would save you.” Heckyl summed up heavily. “I see. How did that turn out for you?” 

“I knew this might happen.” Chase admitted. He’d hoped things would turn out differently, but he truly wanted Koda and the kid to be safe. “It was worth it. The kid is safe. The energems are safe. Even if I don’t make it out of here, my friend’s don’t really need me.”

“Don’t they?” Heckyl asked, curiosity filling his tone again. “Are you so worthless?” 

“Ask my dad.” Chase chuckled bitterly. “Sorry, inside joke that isn’t actually funny. I’m not exactly a bright guy, my teammates are smarter and far more capable. They’ll find someone to replace me. Someone more like them.” His own words were hard to hear. Chase stopped his desperate search and his shoulders drooped a little in defeat. 

He remembered how he felt that morning. They had been having a good moment before he slipped and said something the rest of them didn’t understand. The looks they had given him were pretty terrible, but Riley’s comment cut deep. 

Chase had brushed it off and pretended like it didn’t happen. He always did. He understood that he was different. He talked different and did things in an unconventional way, but he had his reasons. 

Still, the team would move on. They’d be better off. 

Keeper would probably suggest they find a new person to bond with the black energem. It made sense. They couldn’t afford to be a man down, not with the world at stake. 

“You sound so certain.” Heckyl said softly. 

“I know what I bring to the table.” Chase sighed and plopped down next to Heckyl. “It isn’t a whole lot.” 

“I very much doubt that.” The blue haired man said with a huff. “You are someone with great strength and passion. For a moment there you even had me believing you might find a way out of here.” 

Chase’s eyes widened again and he turned to his cellmate. 

Heckyl met his gaze and offered a small smile. “I’ve been stuck here for a very, very long time. It was nice to see someone so hopeful. Even if the hope was slightly annoying and completely futile. It made for good entertainment.” 

A smile lit up Chase’s face. “Well, I’m glad I can brighten up your day, at least. I guess I’m not completely worthless after all.” 

The two fell into silence again and Chase listened to the sounds around them. He was very aware of their breathing, but also the hum of the ship around them. There was clinging and clanging noises. Scraping metal on metal. Moans and growls. 

“It’s kind of noisy, isn’t it?” Chase mumbled and found himself shivering in the dark. He wondered what had happened to the scraps of his shirt, but figured what was left of the material wouldn’t have been very useful. 

On the bright side, at least he still had his pants, socks and shoes. 

“You get used to it.” Heckyl answered easily. “Eventually.”


	3. Sometimes I wait for you...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay...I got a job! I'm excited ^^

Chase jerked awake at the sound of a distant roar. Words flooded back to him and Chase shuddered. He found himself draped in the material, still propped up against the metal wall he’d fallen asleep against. 

“Nightmare?” Heckyl’s voice called. 

“Something like that.” Chase answered with a face splitting yawn. He clutched the material close in hopes of retaining some phantom heat. “Monster of the week said something I hope isn’t true.” 

“What did he say?” Heckyl asked. 

“That Sledge would eat me for breakfast.” Chase admitted after a heavy pause. “He doesn’t, you know, eat people, right?” 

“I’m not sure.” Heckyl said solemnly. 

“That wasn’t exactly the answer I was hoping for.” Chase laughed. 

Through the darkness Chase could see a smile on Heckyl’s lips. “No, I suppose it wasn’t. To my knowledge he prefers something called radishes.” 

The new bit of information had Chase’s jaw hanging open. “Seriously?” He asked and then broke into such laughter that Heckyl shoved an elbow into his ribs and shushed him. 

“Calm yourself or they’ll think we’re getting along.” Heckyl whispered, but his words only made Chase’s laughter stronger. 

“Sorry, sorry. If you knew what a radish was you’d be laughing too.” Chase said when he finally started to calm down. 

“I’ll have to take your word for it.” Heckyl said, the amused tone in his voice was back although the light seemed dimmer in the room, making it hard to see if a smile graced his lips. “Tell me more about your friends.” 

Chase parted his lips, but sighed. “I can’t.” 

“Your loyalty is commendable.” Heckyl offered. “I suppose I shouldn’t completely loath the creatures who abandoned you if they manage to stir such allegiance.” 

Although Chase wasn’t sure why Hecky would ‘loath’ his friends, he was grateful that Heckyl wasn’t going to push him for information. They had built a very fragile friendship and if they were going to be stuck together Chase really hoped it wouldn’t break. 

“What about you?” Heckyl said eventually. 

“Me?” Chase repeated. “Uh, what do you want to know?” 

“Why does your father think you are worthless?” Heckyl asked curiously. 

“You don’t pull your punches.” Chase huffed, but considered his answer. “Um, my dad blamed me for a lot of things. My birth mom died when I was born. Some sort of complication, I guess, no one really told me. I think he blamed me for her death. I blame me, too. If it weren’t for me, well, anyway – I’m sure life would have been different for my old man. I got in the way a lot. I’ve always been a little too energetic and he absolutely hated me for it.” 

“He sounds like a positively dreadful man.” Heckyl said darkly. 

“No, not really.” Chase shrugged a shoulder. “Everyone loved him. Everyone. I think I was around ten when he got remarried. We never celebrated my birthday, since it was also the anniversary of my mother’s death, so I really had no idea how old I was.”

For a moment Chase paused and thought about how weird it was when his stepmom had asked when his birthday was and he had no idea how to answer her. Eventually he had stumbled across his birth certificate, but it felt wrong to celebrate his life when she was dead.

“Anyway, my dad met Cindy and he asked her to marry him and she said yes. I remember him telling me that if I messed things up for him that he’d kill me. I’m pretty sure it wasn’t a lie. I liked her, though. My stepmom. She was nice, although we never really clicked. I guess she always was worried that I was going to screw things up for her and my father. In the end it wasn’t me who screwed things up.” 

“It didn’t end well?” Heckyl guessed. 

“Nope.” Chase said, popping the p in the word and ending with a sigh. “Things happened – to all of us. He started drinking a lot and that didn’t mix well with his anger issues. You can’t hide your true colors forever. Anyway. He ran off when my half sister, Chloe was born. I guess he couldn’t stand the thought of another kid like me to deal with. My step mom was pretty nice. She let me stick around.”

Heckyl shifted, the sound of clinging metal sang in the small space. “Did she treat you well?” 

That was a loaded question, Chase thought briefly about not answering. “She needed help. I was tall for my age and managed to get a job even though I was on the young side. I think it was a mixture of her being a little overwhelmed by being a single mom and a bit of guilt for standing by and letting my father…well, I as glad to have a home. I would have done anything to be useful to her.”

“Did she treat you well?” Heckyl asked again. “Did she show you love?” 

Again Chase hesitated before answering. “I think she appreciated my willingness to help her. Beyond that help, though, I don’t think she cared what happened to me outside of the extra money I brought in and the free babysitting. I respect her for letting me stay after what my father did, but, we weren’t, aren’t close.” 

“That’s a shame.” Heckyl commented quietly. “What of your half-sister?” 

“She’s everything.” Chase grinned. “I don’t think I ever knew what real family love was until she came around. I’d do anything to keep her safe.” 

A brief silence fell over the two as they sat shoulder to shoulder in the dark. “Did you ever see your father again?” Heckyl asked after a while. 

“No.” Chase said. “He got into some dark stuff and was arrested a while back.” 

“Was he executed for his crimes?” Heckyl asked. 

“No.” Chase answered softly. “He’s still in jail though. I don’t think he’ll be getting out anytime soon.” He let out a sad laugh. “Just like us.” 

“Not quite like us.” Heckyl corrected. 

“True,” Chase laughed again. “We’re in space.” 

“And you are innocent.” Heckyl pointed out. 

“You aren’t?” Chase asked curiously. He glanced at Heckyl in the dark. 

“I am many things,” Heckyl said calmly, eyes staring back at Chase. “Innocent is not one of them.” 

Silence fell over the two again. Chase took the time to recover from unloading his emotional baggage on a complete stranger, but curiosity got the better of him. “Okay, I told you my deep dark secret. Feel like sharing one of yours?” 

Heckyl was silent long enough that Chase figured he wasn’t up for sharing. Chase was just about to recover with some witty Joke when Heckyl spoke. “I used to be a soldier – a protector. On my planet I had a special mission and I failed. That failure cost several galaxies worth of people their lives.” 

Silence. Chase honestly had no idea how to react to that. Not at first, anyway. 

“You win.” Chase announced. 

Heckyl chuckled darkly. 

__

Chase must have fallen asleep again because the next thing he knew he was being dragged to his feet and tossed across the room. Dazed he had no chance to defend himself as he was hauled up by the neck and slammed against the metal wall of the cage. 

Slimy feeling things wrapped around his torso and squeezed what little breath he had out of his lungs. 

Wide eyes looked back into a metallic face. Not Sledge. 

Chase searched the room for Heckyl, but found himself alone in the darkness. 

“He didn’t tell you, did he?” The metal man asked. 

With a croak Chase rolled his eyes upwards. When were the bad guys going to learn not to ask questions while they cut off the person’s air supply? Seeming to read his mind, the metal man dropped Chase in a heap and stood looking down at him. 

“Tell me what?” Chase wheezed and rubbed at his abused throat. 

“The fool.” The metal man laughed, the sound cruel and hollow. “I am Snide – Heckyl’s better half.” 

“Beg to differ.” Chase heaved a little and coughed. It clicked, sort of. Snide was what Sledge had said – his roommate. Heckyl said he wasn’t alone. So it was a ‘Hulk’ situation after all. “Peachy.” Chase grumbled as he was lifted and tossed across the room again. He landed badly on his arm and cried out in pain. 

“I’m going to enjoy destroying you, human!” The metal monstrosity growled and moved to grab ahold of Chase again. Chase rolled away and managed to get to his feet. If he was going to get beaten up, he was at least going to put up half of a decent fight. 

“I don’t suppose you could let Heckyl come back out to play?” Chase asked, voice rough as he dodged another vicious grab of metal fingers. 

“He’s not home right now.” Snide said, well, snidely. 

Not the time for jokes, Chase scolded himself as he tried to side step the metal claws again, but failed, soaring through the air before he landed hard on his back. The wind was knocked from his lungs leaving him gasping on the ground. 

The door opened and Snide stopped his pursuit as Sledge and his minions entered the small space. 

“I see you’ve enjoyed your new toy.” Sledge commented to Snide who growled. “Now, is that any way to act after gave you a gift? I suppose I’ll just have to take it back.” He snapped his metallic fingers and two Vivix stepped forward and dragged Chase, still trying desperately to refill his lungs, out of the cell and into the hallway. 

The cell was closed again and Sledge loomed over Chase menacingly. “Fury has a plan that I’m sure you’ll enjoy being apart of. If not, well, I really don’t care.” 

__

Chase barely remembered traveling through Sledge’s ship, being tossed into a metal pod and flying in it to Earth. He did vaguely remember the jarring impact of landing. It made his appreciation for seatbelts stronger. Then there was pain followed by darkness. 

The next time he woke up his hands were tied above his head and he was hanging in the middle of a room. He glanced around at the cement walls, floor and high ceilings. He guessed he was in some sort of abandoned warehouse. Amber Beach had quite a few of them. 

“He’s awake.” A high-pitched voice cheered. Candy Hearts stood close by and squealed with evil-chick giddiness as she talked rapidly with something called ‘Curio.’ Ironic. The poison and the cure. 

It sounded like a terrible name for a band. 

Or a really bad reality television show. 

“Finally.” Another voice said. “I was worried I wouldn’t get to play before your friends showed up.” 

Fury stood with another monster who was made up of what appeared to be snow crystals. 

“Shiny.” Chase muttered as he eyed the sight. 

“Don’t be ridiculous,” the monster said. “I’m far too sinister for such a light hearted name.” 

“Uh, okay.” Chase said, but grunted when Fury moved closer and used his body like a punching bag. “Why?” Chase gasped when the overgrown tiger was done. 

“I wouldn’t want your friends to think we were treating you well.” Fury growled and slashed a few scratches into Chase’s exposed chest and back. 

“The bruises would probably tip them off.” Chase groaned. He felt like he had been practicing jumps on his board all day – and failing miserably at sticking the landing. Sore. His shoulder was practically purple as well as most of his arms and his torso. His neck had to be pretty spectacular as well, although he couldn’t see that damage. 

“Not good enough.” Fury hissed. 

“Fury, you’re so cruel. I love it!” Poisandra said cheerfully. “Come on Curio, let’s go find ourselves a good spot for the show!” 

“Idiotic woman.” Fury cursed under his breath as she left. 

“Chase!” 

The familiar voice made Chase’s head snap up a little too quickly. His friends came running into view. Koda and Tyler appeared first, quickly followed by Riley and Shelby. 

The momentary relief was replaced by fear for his friends too quickly to enjoy it. “Guys, watch out!” He warned just before the Shiny Snow Monster laughed like a maniac and did a very strange and disturbing dance around Chase. The ground under the creatures feet began to frost and ice began to grow upwards until it had formed a dome around him. The air immediately turned frigid and Chase’s already chilled body shivered violently. 

The dome of thick ice made it difficult to hear what was being said between the monsters and his friends. 

“Watch your backs.” Chase muttered and hung his head, suddenly too tired and too cold to watch what was happening. 

__

Warmth. Chase rolled to the side and hugged the covers tighter around his trembling frame. 

“I think he’s waking up again.” Tyler’s voice drifted into his ears. 

“That’s good.” Kendall replied quietly. “Let’s see if it sticks this time.” 

“Nah,” Chase groaned and buried his face a little deeper into the pillow cushioning his head. He didn’t want to wake up – not again. Not to darkness. 

“He not know he’s safe.” Koda sounded distressed. 

“We’re here, Chase.” Riley’s voice sounded, a hand rubbed his shoulder gently. 

“He’s still cold.” Shelby sounded worried. She was probably the one rubbing his shoulder. It wasn’t really a Riley thing to do.

Too tired to fight sleep, Chase welcomed it when it claimed him again. 

__

The next time Chase woke up he felt better. 

“Hey there.” Kendall greeted as Chase’s eyes opened. The lab lights were dimmed, which was good since Chase wasn’t sure he was ready for full brightness yet. 

“What happened?” Chase whispered, his voice rough. It was painful to talk. 

“Koda got out of the cave about the same time we tracked you guys down.” Kendall explained. “I took Peter to the hospital, he’s going to be fine.” 

“Good.” Chase nodded and fought not to fall asleep again. “Koda?”

“He’s fine too. He was so worried when we got back to the cages and you were gone.” Kendall paused. “He didn’t rest until we found you.” 

“You, huh?” Chase frowned, not quite remembering how he got off Sledge’s ship. “You went to space?”

Kendall’s eyes widened. “No, they set a trap for us using you as bait.” 

Flashes of ice and Fury came back to Chase slowly. “Oh. I remember a little.” 

“It was a close call, Chase.” Kendall said worriedly, holding his hand gently in hers. Chase wasn’t sure who she was trying to comfort. Maybe both of them. “They kept telling us to hand over the energems or you were going to freeze to death.” 

“You didn’t?” Chase asked and grew panicked. 

“No, no.” Kendall soothed his worry. “We managed to rescue you before it came to that.” 

“Don’t – never.” Chase found himself out of breath. “Not worth the world. Don’t.” He tried to get her to understand, but Kendall only looked pale and afraid. She tried to sooth him, but it was already too late. 

Darkness had pulled Chase back down.


	4. Do I wait in vain?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OMG, I'm so sorry I didn't upload this sooner. Life got away with me. Real life, anyway. I haven't been able to write or do much creative things lately. 
> 
> Fun fact, starting a new job is super stressful...but I'm easing into it and I feel more at ease so I should start posting more regularly again. I'm going to try and get the first chapter of the second part of the story uploaded today. 
> 
> Also...this is short...sorry!

Chase woke again to find Koda’s nose nearly touching his own. “Koda.” He greeted and grinned as the caveman leaned back. 

“You awake.” Koda said with a mixture of fear and pure joy. “I worried – feel bad for leaving you. Very bad.” 

“Koda, I’m okay, really.” Chase reassured. “I don’t blame you, please don’t blame yourself. Besides, I was the one not paying attention. When I was taken, it’s hard to explain, but it felt good knowing that you were safe. It’s okay. Forgive yourself, okay? You didn’t do anything wrong.” 

“I try.” Koda said, but didn’t sound overly convincing. Chase knew he’d have to prove it to his friend that they were okay. Once he got out of bed. Well, once Kendall let him get out of bed. If it were up to him he would have gone back to the park to try and hunt down his skateboard already. 

He felt warmer and his body had stopped trembling. Chase figured those were good signs. “Kendall say to stay in bed.” Koda frowned as Chase pushed himself up on his elbows. 

“Aw, but I’m okay, really.” Chase pouted as the caveman gently pushed him back against the pillow. 

“Kendall boss.” Koda reminded Chase. 

“That’s right,” Kendall’s voice joined the conversation as she appeared from the doorway leading up to the museum. “I am the boss.” She grinned and joined Koda at Chase’s bedside. “You do look better.” She commented as she checked the machines Chase was hooked up to. “Your body temp is back where it should be and your vitals are good. I want you to take it easy, still. You were separated from your energem and that has really effected your rate of healing.” 

“Am I still bonded to it?” Chase asked after a long pause. 

Kendall looked surprised and a little confused. “Of course, why wouldn’t you be?” 

“I thought maybe Keeper would have tried to find another – never mind. It all worked out.” Chase shook his head and forced a bright smile. “I think you were right about me taking it easy, though. I already feel tired again. Maybe one more nap and I’ll head back to my apartment.” 

“If you’re sure.” Kendall said slowly. 

“Yep.” Chase nodded and closed his eyes. 

“Keep an eye on him.” Chase heard Kendall whisper to Koda who grunted his agreement. 

Whatever. Chase was pretty good at getting people to believe what he wanted them to believe. He’d have them convinced he was fine soon enough. 

As Chase drifted back asleep his thoughts wondered back to his cellmate still stuck on Sledge’s ship. He wondered how Heckyl was and if he could be somehow saved. 

That was a problem for later. Sleep was calling.


End file.
